EPA 910-R-04-001 Alaska 

United States Region 10 Idaho 

Environmental Protection 1200 Sixth Avenue Oregon 

Agency Seattle WA 98101 Washington 

Office of Environmental Cleanup January 2004 

Making Environmental Progress, 

Improving Local Communities 

Accomplishments of the 

EPA Region 10 Superfund Program 

Bottom left cover photo contributed by Dan Rone. 
A Snapshot of Region 10 Accomplishments 

The Superfund Program in EPA Region 10 continues its strong record of addressing serious 

contamination problems throughout the Northwest and Alaska. I am proud of the progress we are 

achieving at our largest and most challenging sites, including Bunker Hill, the Lower Duwamish 

Waterway, Commencement Bay, and Portland Harbor. At the same time, we have completed rapid 

cleanup actions at many smaller sites and are preparing for final cleanup at others. I am pleased to 

offer this report summarizing our Superfund Program’s major work to protect human health and the 

environment in Region 10. 

Here is a brief summary of notable accomplishments in 2003: 

Actions Completed in Fiscal Year 2003 

• 100 site assessments 

• 19 cleanup decision documents (Records of Decision and Action Memos) 

• 5 cleanup negotiations 

• 6 remedial designs 

• 13 remedial actions 

• 2 construction completions 

• 27 five-year reviews 

• 7 cost recovery actions totaling almost $24 million 

• 5,300-plus responses to spill notification calls 

• 31 emergency response actions 

• 14 time-critical removals 

At most sites, EPA Region 10 became involved due to a request from a local, state, or federal 

agency, or a federally recognized Indian tribe. This year we also received seven citizen petitions 

requesting investigation of sites where hazardous waste contamination might be present. Through 

our Removal Program, we received over 5,300 notifications to our 24-hour duty officer, and 

responded to 31 emergencies and spills that posed an imminent threat to people or the environment. 

Since the inception of the Superfund Program in 1980, EPA Region 10 has removed a total of 1,731 

sites from the Region 10 Superfund inventory. About 500 sites remain in the inventory to be studied. 

Of the sites studied to date, Region 10 has listed 95 on the National Priorities List (NPL). Final 

cleanup construction has been completed at 60 of these sites, and it is under way at another 23 

sites. In our Region, 25 sites have been deleted from the NPL. 

This year the Superfund budget was under intense public scrutiny. While our overall Superfund 

budget in Region10 has held steady for the past few years, we continue to experience significant 

demand for Superfund Program services. I’m pleased that this year EPA was able to provide $12 

million in new funding for McCormick and Baxter and $10 million for the Coeur d’Alene Basin. To 

stretch cleanup dollars and to ensure that responsible parties shoulder their cleanup obligations, 

Region 10 maintains a strong Superfund enforcement program dedicated to fast and effective 

cleanup. 

Region 10 is strongly committed to attaining cleanup progress at all important sites. I attribute the 

lion’s share of our success to the strong relationships we have built with our state, federal, tribal, and 

community partners. Working together, we have used cleanup dollars effectively to deliver tangible 

results. 

L. John Iani, Regional Administrator

EPA Region 10 
Contents 

Alaska 

Formerly Used Defense Sites ............................................................. 1


Adak Naval Air Station ........................................................................ 1


Fort Wainwright ................................................................................... 2


Arctic Surplus ...................................................................................... 2


Idaho 

Coeur d’Alene Basin ........................................................................... 3


Bunker Hill Box ................................................................................... 3


Union Pacific Railroad Recreational Trail ............................................ 4


Continental Mine ................................................................................. 4


Franke’s Laundromat .......................................................................... 5


Harmony Mine .................................................................................... 5


Oregon 

North Ridge Estates ............................................................................ 6


Dalles Union Pacific Railroad Derailment ............................................ 6


Harbor Oil ........................................................................................... 7


Portland Harbor ................................................................................... 7


McCormick & Baxter ........................................................................... 8


Columbia American Plating ................................................................. 8


Reynolds Metals ................................................................................. 9


Northwest Pipe and Casing ................................................................. 9


Washington 

Frontier Hard Chrome ....................................................................... 10


Hanford ............................................................................................. 10


Pacific Sound Resources .................................................................. 11


Harbor Island .................................................................................... 11


Lower Duwamish Waterway .............................................................. 12


Asarco .............................................................................................. 12


Commencement Bay Nearshore/Tideflats ........................................ 13


Port of Tacoma Axel Maersk Ship Response .................................... 13


For More Information ................................. Inside Back Cover

Alaska 

Action Plan for Cleaning Up Formerly 

Used Defense Sites 

More Than 600 Sites Across Alaska 

In a landmark bargain for progress, EPA Region 10, the 

U.S. Army Corps, and the Alaska Department of

Environmental Conservation crafted and signed the first 

Statewide Management Action Plan for prioritizing 

cleanups at the 625 Formerly Used Defense Sites 

(FUDS) across Alaska. Implementing the action plan 

will produce several tangible results: the agencies will 

be much more strategic and productive in their cleanup 

approach; sites posing the highest risks to 

communities will be addressed more quickly; and due 

to greater efficiencies, taxpayer dollars will be saved. 

Staff from EPA, the Army Corps, and the Alaska 

Department of Environmental Conservation discuss 

prioritizing cleanups at FUD sites. 

Work in 2003 included forecasting future work and 

costs, and setting long-range goals by ranking sites 

based on relative risk, site location, stage of work, 

community involvement, and other factors. The 

agencies considered tribal needs when developing site 

priorities, and plan to invite further tribal involvement in 

the coming year. Site closeout, assessment, or 

cleanup is now planned at about 75 sites in 2004. 

47,000 Acres Ready for New Business 

Adak Naval Air Station, Adak Island, Alaska 

Working in coordination with EPA, the U.S. Navy 

completed a Finding of Suitability to Transfer for 47,000 

acres on Adak Island. As a result, the Aleut 

Corporation can now encourage new business on 

Adak, and sell or lease commercial land, buildings, and 

housing. Making property transfer possible is an 

important achievement, as commerce on Adak is wellpositioned to grow. The island is situated in one of the 

world’s richest fishing regions and has an ice-free, 

deep-water port. 

Completing the first phase of unexploded ordinance 

cleanup was an important step in making the Adak 

property transfer possible. The Navy removed 351 

intact military munitions from WWII, including grenades, 

mortars, and projectiles. It also removed 3,300 metal 

fragments from training areas, including partially intact 

munitions that did not completely explode after being 

fired. The first cleanup phase addressed all of 

downtown Adak and all the real estate scheduled for 

transfer. EPA’s collaboration with the Navy, the Aleut 

Tribes, the State, local business, and the community 

has been critical to expediting the cleanup and making 

the island safer for everyone. 

Adak’s ice-free, deep-water port invites commercial growth. 

1 
Alaska 

Work at Fort Wainwright has stimulated the local economy, as local contractors are doing the bulk of cleanup. 

Cleanup Helps Stimulate Local Economy 

Fort Wainwright Superfund Site, Fairbanks, Alaska 

At Fort Wainwright, EPA, the U.S. Army, and the Alaska 

Department of Environmental Conservation are using 

aggressive technologies to clean up groundwater and 

soil contaminated with solvents and petroleum. Air 

sparging and soil-vapor extraction pump air into the 

ground, cleaning up the site in a fraction of the time that 

natural processes would take. Preliminary studies 

show that in four to five years, the Army will have met 

most cleanup goals and the site will be ready for longterm monitoring. Progress at Fort Wainwright can be 

attributed to the teamwork of the Army, State, and EPA 

working together under a Federal Facility Compliance 

Agreement to make sound technical decisions. 

The Army has stimulated the economy by hiring local 

contractors to do the bulk of the cleanup. To date, the 

Army has spent almost $121 million on cleanup, and 

plans to spend another $33 million. Local residents and 

businesses are pleased with the progress made by 

EPA and the Army at Fort Wainwright. A recent report 

by Alaska Community Action on Toxics commended the 

cleanup approach. 

Safe and Ready for Reuse 

Arctic Surplus Superfund Site, Fairbanks, Alaska 

At one time, the Arctic Surplus Site was contaminated 

with 22,000 pounds of asbestos, 1,700 drums of toxic 

liquids, and soils laden with lead and polychlorinated 

biphenyls (PCBs). A private company used the site as 

a salvage yard, storing military equipment, asbestos 

insulation, and various oils. It caused extensive PCB 

and lead contamination by cracking batteries and 

burning transformers to recover metals. 

This past summer, the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency 

(DLA) finished cleaning up contaminated soils. EPA 

and DLA worked together to accelerate the last cleanup 

phase from three years to one. Today, the site is safe 

and clean, and ready for industrial redevelopment. 

To make the site available for a wide variety of future 

activities, EPA approved a redesigned cap for the onsite hazardous waste containment area. Due to EPA’s 

modifications, the property owner can now use this area 

for parking, storage, and other business needs. 

Today the Arctic Surplus Site is safe, clean, and ready 

for industrial redevelopment. 

2 
Idaho 

$10 Million Cleanup Planned 

Coeur d’Alene River Basin, Idaho 

Congressional District 1 

Many homes are having contaminated topsoil replaced 

with safer materials. 

Cleanup of Bunker Hill Operable Unit 3 (the Basin) has 

been a top priority for EPA since the cleanup plan was 

finalized in 2002. This past year, planning began for 

cleanups at two Lower Basin recreation areas, as 

approved under the Basin Commission’s first one-year 

work plan. The Basin Commission is a team of 

representatives from the states of Idaho and 

Washington, three counties in the Basin, the Coeur 

d’Alene Tribe, and federal agencies. The Commission’s 

objective is to establish clean and low-maintenance 

recreation sites for public use. 

In 2004, EPA will spend $10 million to begin cleanup at 

about 200 residential and community properties, as well 

as the two Lower Basin recreation areas. The cleanup 

includes operation of a critical waste repository. EPA 

and the State of Idaho continue to place the highest 

priority on properties occupied by children and 

pregnant women. 

Thus far, EPA and the State of Idaho have removed 

contaminated soil from more than 100 residential yards, 

seven schools and day care centers, and six 

recreational areas. EPA has also provided water 

treatment, municipal hook-up, or bottled water to about 

30 families. The Basin Commission recently approved 

a 5-year plan that will guide future cleanup. 

Approaching the Finish Line 

Bunker Hill Box, Kellogg, Idaho 

Congressional District 1 

In the 21-square-mile area called the Bunker Hill Box, 

EPA and the Upstream Mining Group have cleaned up 

more than 2,000 residential and community areas since 

1994. In 2003, EPA and the State of Idaho cleaned up 

another 200 residential properties, with about 300 

contaminated properties still remaining. At the current 

pace, EPA expects all residential cleanup to be done by 

2005. 

In 2003, 70 local workers were hired to support 

residential cleanup. Most materials and services were 

purchased locally. By using local manpower and 

materials, jobs are being created and the local 

economy is getting a boost. 

The Kellogg community benefits in other ways too. 

Major cleanups were completed this year at Kellogg 

Middle School and Teeter’s Field, a city-owned ballfield 

used for baseball and football. The cleanup at the 

middle school replaced underground sprinkler systems 

and cleaned up a greenhouse, an existing flood control 

dike, and track and field areas. 

In non-populated areas of the Box, work is nearly 

complete. Revegetation efforts have been extremely 

effective. New plants and animals are flourishing in 

areas that have been devoid of life for decades. 

EPA employees discuss cleanup in the Coeur d’Alene Basin. 

3 
Idaho 

New Recreation and Business in the	 wastes have been consolidated on site under a 

Silver Valley protective barrier. The barrier is minimizing the release

Union Pacific Railroad, Kellogg and Coeur d’Alene, of lead and arsenic into Blue Joe Creek. To protect 

Idaho fisheries, state and federal agencies will monitor water 

Congressional District 1 quality for several years. 

Local businesses and residents in and around Kellogg and Coeur d’Alene enjoy the new 72-mile recreational trail. 

EPA has helped transform a contaminated railway into 

a 72-mile trail for hiking and biking. The cleanup is 

complete, and a grand opening will take place in the 

spring of 2004. The $40 million project was funded by 

Union Pacific Railroad. While the trail is not officially 

open, people are already putting it to good use. Local 

businesses in the nine communities in and around 

Kellogg and Coeur d’Alene are seeing the benefits. The 

trail was a catalyst for improved summer revenues, 

attracting tourists and bikers from around the region. 

EPA has worked closely with the State of Idaho and the 

Coeur d’Alene Tribe on this project. In addition to 

cleaning up contaminated sites along the railway, the 

project has involved building or repairing 30 bridges and 

constructing solar-powered, composting toilets. 

Protecting the Selkirk Mountain Ecosystem 

Continental Mine, Boundary County, Idaho 

Congressional District 1 

EPA has completed a 5-month cleanup of the 

Continental Mine, which sits on both public and private 

land near the Canadian border in northwest Idaho. The 

mine is in the pristine Selkirk Mountain ecosystem, 

home to many rare species, including bald eagles, 

Canadian lynxes, grey wolves, grizzly bears, caribou, 

sturgeon, and bull trout. As a result of the cleanup, 

138,000 cubic yards of material contaminated with mine 

EPA consulted formally with the Kootenai Tribe and the 

Canadian government to complete a rapid cleanup of 

Continental Mine. 

During the $2.7 million cleanup, EPA worked in close 

coordination with the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, 

and private property owners. EPA also consulted 

formally with the Kootenai Tribe and the Canadian 

government. State and federal agencies have 

expressed satisfaction with EPA’s fast and effective 

approach. 

4 
Idaho 

Rapid Site Investigation Yields Important Data 

Franke’s Laundromat, Caldwell, Idaho 

Congressional District 1 

The results of a rapid investigation at Franke’s 

Laundromat are helping EPA and others determine next 

steps. 

In Spring 2003, EPA negotiated a legal agreement with 

the property owner of Franke’s Laundromat to do a 

rapid site investigation. EPA got involved due to 

dangerous levels of perchloroethylene (PCE) in soil 

and groundwater at the site. Since PCE is highly toxic 

contaminants, and constructing a chemically reactive 

barrier wall to stop off-site migration. 

Removing Mine Tailings to Protect Rivers 

Harmony Mine, Baker, Idaho 

Congressional District 2 

When a catastrophic fire destroyed vegetation 

upstream of the Harmony Mine in Baker, Idaho, the 

U.S. Forest Service asked EPA to help remove a large

tailings pile at risk of washing downstream in the event 

of heavy rainfall. The Forest Service was concerned 

that the 10,000-cubic-yard pile, which was straddling a 

tributary to Withington Creek, would erode and 

contaminate downstream rivers with dangerous 

amounts of copper. 

In just two months, EPA and the U.S. Forest Service 

co-led a $500,000 cleanup to remove the tailings, place 

them in a secure repository, and cap them. The 

agencies built a 1.3 mile road so that large construction 

equipment could get to the site. They also 

reconstructed the stream channel to be stable and 

seeded disturbed areas. and a probable carcinogen, 

EPA is concerned about offsite migration and the threat 

to down-gradient drinking 

water and the air inside 

nearby businesses. 

The property owner, working 

under an EPA Administrative 

Consent Order, conducted a 

rapid investigation to learn 

the full extent of 

contamination. Preliminary 

results show that PCE 

remains in groundwater at 

concentrations 10,000 times 

the level determined to pose 

a risk to human health. 

Furthermore, the data 

showed that PCE has 

migrated to the lower sand 

aquifer beneath the site and 

nearby property. EPA is 

currently evaluating cleanup 

options that may include 

removing and disposing of 

highly contaminated soils, 

using soil-vapor extraction to 

address volatile A fast cleanup at the Harmony Mine protects downstream waters from copper 

contamination. 

5 
Oregon 

Making a Neighborhood Safe 

North Ridge Estates Site, Klamath Falls, Oregon 

Congressional District 2 

EPA takes fast action to remove asbestos from the North 

Ridge Estates neighborhood. 

In summer 2003, EPA took action to remove asbestos 

contamination from 22 residences in the North Ridge 

Estates neighborhood near Klamath Falls. The Oregon 

Department of Environmental Quality asked EPA to get 

involved when it learned that asbestos-laden debris 

throughout the subdivision could threaten the health of 

residents. EPA’s work included removing more than 

14,000 pounds of 

asbestos-containing 

materials from 

residential properties, 

and sampling air and 

soil to see if people 

were at risk. 

More than two dozen 

homes at North Ridge 

Estates were built 

during the last decade 

on plots where military 

barracks once stood. 

The asbestos 

contamination originated 

from siding, roofing, and 

steam pipes from about 

80 buildings constructed 

in the 1940’s. Many of 

the buildings were 

demolished in place, 

leaving a dangerous 

asbestos problem for 

future residents. 

Unified Command Tackles Train Derailment 

Union Pacific Railroad Derailment, The Dalles, Oregon 

Congressional District 2 

In January 2003, when 53 train cars were derailed just 

outside The Dalles and adjacent to Interstate 84, EPA 

took swift action. Within the hour, EPA arrived at the 

site to find five derailed cars containing hazardous 

materials, including phenol, anhydrous ammonia, 

arsenic acid, and vinyl chloride. EPA also responded to 

14 cars containing oils, four of which were breached 

and leaking within about 100 yards of the Columbia 

River. 

EPA, tribal representatives, the State, Wasco County, 

and Union Pacific quickly formed a Unified Command to 

address the situation. Working together, the Command 

safely removed four cars containing hazardous 

materials and pumped the contents of the fifth car into a 

tanker for removal. With EPA oversight, Union Pacific 

also cleaned up the soils contaminated with oil. 

The derailment occurred in a culturally significant area 

within the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. The 

Yakima, Warm Springs, and Umatilla Indian tribes have 

cultural and historic connections to the area. During the 

cleanup, the Unified Command made sure that 

culturally and historically significant items weren’t 

disturbed. At the tribes’ request, EPA also made sure 

that soils removed from the site were returned after 

they were treated. 

EPA responds at a train derailment where freight cars containing oils and hazardous 

materials jumped the track. 

6 
Oregon 

A Contaminated Site is Added to the 

National Priorities List 

Harbor Oil Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon 

Congressional District 3 

Toxic contamination threatens Force Lake. 

In September 2003, EPA added the Harbor Oil site to 

the National Priorities List, making it Oregon’s newest 

Superfund site. The site is located near the Expo 

Center in northeast Portland. The Oregon Department 

of Environmental Quality referred the site to EPA when 

it was unable to reach a cleanup agreement with the 

owner. In deciding to list the site, EPA considered input 

from the community, tribes, and state and local 

agencies. 

EPA intends to use its enforcement authorities to 

negotiate with the potentially responsible party to clean 

up the site. The Agency also set aside funds to start 

the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study to fully 

characterize the site and evaluate cleanup alternatives. 

The Harbor Oil site is contaminated with several 

hazardous substances, including volatile and semivolatile organic compounds, metals, pesticides, and 

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Contaminants from 

the site could be migrating into Force Lake and 

adjacent wetlands. 

Contamination at Harbor Oil was caused in 1974 by a 

major waste oil spill from on-site storage tanks that 

killed fish in Force Lake. A severe fire in 1979 caused 

waste oils and other contaminants to flow across the 

site and into adjacent wetlands and Force Lake. 

Reaching Important Milestones 

Portland Harbor Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon 

Congressional District 3 

An important milestone was reached at Portland Harbor 

when the Lower Willamette Group, the potentially 

responsible parties performing the investigation, 

provided EPA with data from more than 1,800 fish. 

EPA will use the data to help determine sediment 

cleanup levels, as well as to learn to what extent 

mercury, pesticides, and PCBs may be bioaccumulating in the food chain. The Oregon 

Department of Health Services will use the data to 

update fish consumption advisories for the Willamette 

River. 

Another milestone was reached in October 2003 when 

EPA and the Port of Portland agreed to start the first 

early action to clean up sediment at the Port’s Marine 

Terminal 4. The cleanup of Terminal 4 will reduce risks 

to human health and the environment prior to the 

completion of the larger Portland Harbor investigation. 

It will also allow continued operation of Terminal 4. 

Progress at Portland Harbor stems from close 

teamwork on many fronts. EPA and the Oregon 

Department of Environmental Quality are cooperating 

with citizens, tribes, and public agencies to ensure that 

the investigation incorporates a wide range of concerns. 

Six tribes and several federal and state agencies work 

in partnership with EPA to resolve technical issues 

regarding work plans and collection of sediment 

samples. 

EPA will use fish tissue data to help determine sediment cleanup levels at Portland Harbor. 

7 
Oregon 

Celebrating Progress 

McCormick & Baxter Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon 

Congressional District 3 

In May 2003, EPA hosted a boat tour to celebrate the 

construction of a sub-surface barrier wall at the 

McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company site in 

Portland. The barrier wall will prevent toxic substances 

from leaching into the Willamette River. The site is 

contaminated with heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic 

hydrocarbons, and pentachlorophenol, due to almost 50 

years of wood treating at the property. 

To date, EPA has removed 33,000 tons of 

contaminated soil from the site and recovered 1,900 

gallons of creosote from groundwater. The final phases 

of cleanup will include cleanup of contaminated 

sediments adjacent to the property, and an upland soil 

cap. EPA is providing $12 million for this work to 

continue, and another $4 million will be provided next 

year. When the cleanup is completed, the City of 

Portland plans to redevelop the site as a recreational 

park. 

Hazardous Waste Threat Quickly Stabilized 

Columbia American Plating Site, Portland, Oregon 

Congressional District 3 

In May 2003, at the request of the Oregon Department 

of Environmental Quality, EPA responded to a 

hazardous waste emergency at the Columbia American 

Plating site in the Northwest Industrial Area of Portland. 

The City of Portland’s Fire Marshall closed the site 

because it was imminently dangerous and a fire hazard. 

About 1,500 hazardous waste containers were lined up 

at the site, and numerous chemical spills discolored the 

ground. 

EPA took fast action to secure and stabilize the site by 

controlling water accumulation and covering open 

containers filled with cyanide and hydrofluoric acid. The 

Agency has pumped storm water into above-ground 

tanks. It also removed and properly disposed of 

approximately 70,000 gallons of hazardous waste 

liquids. The Fire Marshall’s office expressed 

satisfaction with EPA’s quick response. The site no 

longer poses a threat to neighbors and workers, and 

EPA is helping to put the site back into productive use. 

The sub-surface barrier wall at McCormick and Baxter will prevent toxic substances from seeping into the Willamette 

River. 

8 
Oregon 

Getting the Job Done 

Reynolds Metals Site, Troutdale, Oregon 

Congressional District 3 

Reynolds Metals Company is working under EPA 

oversight to clean up contamination caused by more 

than 50 years of aluminum production at the former 

Alcoa smelter. This past summer, the company began 

removing contamination, up to four-feet thick, from the 

bottom of the 14-acre Company Lake using an 

innovative approach that involves de-watering the lake. 

Reynolds is also removing soil from two on-site landfills 

that are heavily contaminated with fluoride, 

polyaromatic hydrocarbons, PCBs, and cyanide. This 

work will help keep hazardous substances from moving 

into groundwater beneath the site, which is bordered by 

the Columbia and Sandy Rivers. 

Final Phase of Cleanup Construction 

Under Way 

Northwest Pipe and Casing Superfund Site,


Clackamas, Oregon


Congressional District 5


EPA began the final phase of cleanup construction at 

the Northwest Pipe and Casing Superfund site in 

Clackamas, where almost 30 years of pipe 

manufacturing and coating operations contaminated the 

site with oils, solvents, and coal tars. The estimated 

total cost of cleanup is $10.4 million. The cleanup is 

important because surface water from the site flows into 

the Willamette River where people fish, and wetlands 

and endangered species are found. When cleanup is 

done, the site will be available for industrial 

redevelopment. The cleanup will also restore and 

maintain the upper aquifer at the site as a potential 

source of drinking water. 

Tasks planned in the final cleanup phase include 

installing 15 groundwater circulation wells, constructing 

a clean soil cap, and restoring a wetland. The 

circulation wells will remove volatile organic compounds 

and prevent contamination from spreading off site. The 

soil cap will be spread two feet deep over an area larger 

than 12 football fields. It will protect future occupants 

from exposure to coal-tar compounds and PCBs. The 

wetland will provide habitat for endangered species. 

The Willamette River is an aesthetic and recreational highlight for Oregon. 

9 
Washington 

Innovative Cleanup Saves Millions of 

Dollars at Toxic Chrome Site 

Frontier Hard Chrome, Vancouver, Washington 

Congressional District 3 

EPA has completed cleanup of hexavalent chromium at 

the Frontier Hard Chrome Superfund site in Vancouver. 

Years of improper chrome disposal had contaminated 

groundwater and threatened the Columbia River. 

Today, the property is fenced and ready for light 

industrial or commercial reuse. By using innovative 

cleanup technologies, EPA spent $3.5 million, rather 

than the projected $30 million it could have spent using 

traditional methods. 

Prior to cleanup, soils at Frontier Hard Chrome were 

stained with contamination. 

EPA cleaned up the site by injecting a sulfur-based 

chemical reactant into the ground. The reactant 

converted cancer-causing hexavalent chromium at the 

most contaminated hot spot into an inert form of 

trivalent chromium. Workers also created an 

underground reactive barrier by injecting an iron-based 

chemical into the ground outside the hot spot. This 

barrier will neutralize hexavalent chromium for years to 

come. EPA will monitor the site for the next several 

years to make sure chromium-tainted groundwater 

eventually reaches drinking water standards. 

Third Nuclear Reactor Cocooned 

Hanford Superfund Site, Richland, WA 

Congressional District 4 

The Department of Energy finished cocooning a third 

nuclear reactor at the 586-square-mile Hanford Nuclear 

Reservation, which is the most contaminated nuclear 

waste site in the United States and the site of the 

world’s largest environmental cleanup. Cocooning 

involves tearing the reactor down to the 3-foot concrete 

shield wall, and putting a safe, secure structure of 

galvanized steel on top of it. 

This year the Department of Energy cocooned a third 

nuclear reactor. 

EPA and the Department of Energy made headway in 

dealing with more than 12,000 drums filled with soils 

and sludges contaminated with radioactive and 

chemical wastes. By applying regulatory flexibility, EPA 

developed plans to have these wastes safely treated 

and disposed of at a hazardous waste disposal facility. 

As a result, the drums will no longer remain in storage 

where they could deteriorate and cause further 

contamination. 

In the coming year, construction will continue on 

Hanford’s tank-waste vitrification plant, which will be 

used to treat high-level wastes now stored in 167 

extremely large underground tanks. The vitrification 

process turns wastes into glass. Current plans call for 

disposing of treated wastes at Yucca Mountain in 

Nevada. 

10 
Washington 

People can watch the cleanup of Pacific Sound Resources from the public-access park and viewing tower at the site. 

Clean Sediment Cap to Cover 58 Acres in	 Bay in Seattle. Areas adjacent to two shipbuilding 

Elliott Bay operations are contaminated with heavy metals, PCBs,

Pacific Sound Resources Superfund Site, West	 and other contaminants. Lockheed Martin Corporation 

has begun cleanup next to its former shipyard on the Seattle, Washington 

Congressional District 7 

At the Pacific Sound Resources Superfund site on the 

south shore of Elliott Bay, EPA is overseeing cleanup 

of sediments contaminated with creosote, 

pentachlorophenol (PCP), and metals, the result of 

years of wood-treating operations. EPA expects the 

cleanup to be done in three to five years. Tasks include 

removing about 700 wood pilings and related structures 

that make up several old piers. About 10,000 cubic 

yards of contaminated sediments will be dredged near 

the shore to maintain the water depth needed for barge 

loading. In addition, a clean sediment cap will be 

placed over approximately 58 acres of contaminated 

sediments in the bay. 

Work at Pacific Sound Resources is scheduled around 

the migration of juvenile salmon. The gently sloped cap 

will provide a habitat preferred by salmon. Plans also 

include adding logs and plants, such as beach grass 

and willows, along the shore to improve habitat for 

native animals. About five feet of clean fill will be placed 

near the shore to enable people to, once again, harvest 

shellfish from this area of the bay. 

Major Sediment Cleanups to be Done in 

2004 and 2006 

Harbor Island Superfund Site, Elliott Bay, Seattle 

Congressional District 7 

EPA is overseeing the cleanup of contaminated 

sediments at the Harbor Island Superfund site on Elliott 

island. Todd Pacific Shipyards is installing a new 

water-pollution control system at its shipyard, and will 

start dredging contaminated sediments next to the 

shipyard. Work at Lockheed will be done by spring 

2004. Work at Todd will be completed two years later. 

EPA signed two legal agreements this past year that 

make these major cleanups possible. Cleanup plans 

include removing four-plus acres of piers, removing 

about 8,000 creosoted piles, dredging more than 

300,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments, 

capping more than four acres of contaminated 

sediments, and improving habitat for salmon. 

Cleanup at the Harbor Island Superfund site includes 

removing about 8,000 creosoted piles. 

11 
Washington 

Early Cleanups on the Way 

Lower Duwamish Waterway Site, Seattle,


Washington


Congressional District 7


At the Lower Duwamish Waterway, jointly managed by 

EPA and the Washington State Department of Ecology, 

one early sediment cleanup is under way, and three 

others are being planned. The areas selected for early 

work are those with the highest PCB levels and those 

where chemical concentrations exceed state standards 

that protect clams, worms, and other mud-dwelling 

animals. Protecting such animals preserves important 

links in the food chain, and protects fisheries for the 

Muckleshoot and Suquamish Indian tribes. 

Top Left: In May 2003, chinook salmon were collected 

from the Lower Duwamish Waterway and tested for 

contamination. 

Lower Right: Government agencies tour the Duwamish 

area with the Community Coalition for Environmental 

Justice. 

EPA and Ecology meet often with the Duwamish River 

Cleanup Coalition, a Community Advisory Group that 

represents the interests of the community. Many 

residents in the Lower Duwamish area have low 

incomes and are Hispanic, Asian, South Pacific 

Islander, or Russian-speaking immigrants. To engage 

a diverse public, EPA and Ecology developed 

community involvement plans for building trust and 

participation by community members. The plans reach 

out to high-risk and under-represented minority 

communities. They include a Hispanic supplement and 

a draft Asian-Pacific Islander supplement. EPA 

publishes fact sheets for the site in Spanish, as well as 

English. 

Settlement Provides $100 Million for Cleanup 

Asarco Superfund Site, Ruston and North Tacoma,


Washington


Congressional District 9


About 100 properties contaminated by the former Asarco 

smelter will be cleaned up in 2004. 

With EPA assistance, the Justice Department reached 

an agreement with Asarco to fund an independent 

environmental trust to be used for the next seven years 

to pay for cleanup of sites around the country where 

Asarco is liable. Initial funding of the trust is more than 

$100 million. The trust fund is a major achievement 

because Asarco had been struggling financially due to 

low copper prices. Further complicating the settlement 

is the fact that Asarco is now fully owned by Grupo 

Mexico, a Mexican corporation. 

In Region 10, trust monies will be used to clean up the 

Asarco smelter and Town of Ruston. Contaminants of 

concern include lead, arsenic, copper, and zinc. About 

100 properties will be cleaned up in 2004, and 

significant progress will be made on the smelter 

cleanup. 

12 
Washington 

End of Cleanup in Sight 

Commencement Bay Nearshore/Tideflats, Tacoma,


Washington


Congressional Districts 6 and 9


The Commencement Bay Nearshore/Tideflats 

Superfund mega-site has entered the final stages of 

cleanup, with all sediment cleanup work to be finished 

in the next three years. To date, more than 60 sources 

of contamination have been controlled and more than 

20 areas have been cleaned up. The Bay is recovering 

from being one of the nation’s most polluted water 

bodies. Contamination at the site was caused by 100 

years of chemical manufacturing, refineries, aluminum 

smelting, boat building, log yards, concrete production, 

and other industrial activities. By cleaning up this 

industrial contamination, EPA is creating a cleaner 

environment for marine organisms and people. 

Responsible parties, including businesses, the Port of 

Tacoma, and the City of Tacoma, will pay for 85 percent 

of the $300 million cleanup. Work under way includes 

removing enough sediment to fill 21⁄2 Tacoma Domes. 

The sediment will be shipped off site for disposal, or 

safely disposed as fill in nearshore areas, which will 

become newly created Port and industrial facilities. 

Dozens of acres of fish habitat are being rejuvenated, 

and sunken log rafts that blocked fish passage to 

nearby rivers have been removed. 

Along the Thea Foss Waterway, which is part of the 

site, cleanup has gone hand-in-hand with 

redevelopment. Cornerstones of the revitalization effort 

include The Museum of Glass, Thea’s Landings 

condominiums, and increased public access. The Foss 

Waterway Development Authority estimates that 

cleanup has facilitated $200 million in investment along 

the waterway. 

Emergency Toxic Vapor Release 

Axel Maersk Ship Response, Tacoma, Washington 

Congressional District 9 

In July 2003, EPA responded to an emergency on the 

Axel Maersk cargo ship, docked at the Port of Tacoma. 

The U.S. Coast Guard asked EPA to help when a toxic 

vapor release of unknown origin sickened seven 

longshoremen and one crew member as they prepared 

to unload cargo containers. The personnel went to 

local hospitals, complaining of nausea, vomiting, and 

chest pains. 

When EPA staff arrived on board, they helped to find, 

isolate, and contain the source of the hazard. EPA also 

monitored the air to protect Port employees and the 

surrounding community. EPA and the Coast Guard 

determined that one of the containers on the ship 

released vapors due to high internal pressure. EPA 

helped move the container to a quarantined area on the 

dock for re-certification. Due to the fast response by all 

parties, the Axel Maersk was able to resume business 

and leave Tacoma three days after the incident. 

EPA monitors vapors on the Axel Maersk cargo ship to 

protect Port of Tacoma employees and the surrounding 

community. 

13 
For More Information 

Contact: 

Deborah L. Neal 

EPA Community Involvement Coordinator 

206-553-0115 

neal.deborah@epa.gov 

1200 Sixth Avenue 

Seattle, WA 98101-1128 

EPA Region 10 Toll-Free Telephone Number 

1-800-424-4372 

EPA Region 10 Website 

www.epa.gov/r10earth/